BUFFALO, NY--- The Buffalo Sabres have announced they have fired Head Coach Lindy Ruff.

The announcement was made on the team's Twitter account and confirmed by Sabres spokesman Michael Gilbert on Wednesday. Ruff was relieved of his duties shortly after the team held a 90-minute practice, and a day after the Sabres were booed several times by their home fans during a 2-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

"Well, it was made with the goal of making the playoffs and unfortunately, a lack of progress. I think we were making some strides but in the end, for every two steps forward, it was one step back. And sometimes not that, but unfortunately this is the time of year when the coaching is probably the thing that's evaluated the most and that's the reason."

The Sabres (6-10-1) have gone 4-10-1 since opening the season winning their first two games.

With a 571-432-162 record, Ruff was the team's winningest coach.

The team has been struggling to win games, forcing the team to make major changes.

Ruff has been head coach since 1997. He was the longest tenured coach in the NHL. Ruff has a long history with the Sabres. He was drafted by the team in 2nd round of 1979 NHL draft and played 10 seasons before being traded to the New York Rangers. He finished his career playing for the Rochester Americans of the AHL and San Diego Gulls in the IHL.